Foldable rack



Sept. 15, 1942.

H. C. JERNSON FOLDABLE RACK Filed July 5, 1941 Patented Sept. 15, 1942 I l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDABLE RACK Henry C. Jernson, St. Paul, Minn. 7 Application July 5, 1941, Serial No. 401,065,

7 Claims.

This invention relates to portable drying racks such as are usually made of wire and the instant invention is deemed to embody improvements over my former similar rack patented January 19, 1937, No. 2,068,028.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a rack of this type provided with a novel form of member for application of the rack to any one of a variety of stationary objects for supporting same.

Another object is to simplify the foldability of such racks.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description thereof.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, and wherein like reference characters indicate like parts: The figure illustrates a perspective view of one of my improved racks as it would appear in use.

The rack itself embodies two somewhat similar U-shaped members, one of which consists of two parallel side members I and 2 and the end member 3, while the other U-shaped portion consists of the sides 4 and 5 and end 6. The termini of the sides 4 and 5 of the one member are formed into eyelets indicated at 'II which surround the corners of the end member 3 of the other U- shaped member, which results in the two U- shaped members being pivotally united and normally readily foldable into substantially the same plane.

The normally uppermost one of these U- shaped members may be provided with any number of horizontally spaced bars indicated at 8 which may be spot welded to the side members I and 2 as desired.

A third principal member, which embodies one of the novel features of the invention, is the supporting member the end portions of which are illustrated at 9-9 which extend through eyelets I0-IIl formed in the ends of the sides I and 2 of the uppermost U-shaped member. Intermediate of the end portions 9-9 this supporting member is turned upwardly as at IIII and then arched backwardly and downwardly for a short distance parallel with the portions II as at I2 and then forming the horizontal rod like portion I3. The extreme termini of the end portions 99 of the supporting member are formed into eyelets Iii-I6 which quite apparently may function in being readily hung upon screw hooks such as indicated at I1, or upon nails, screws, or the like, for the purpose, but in which event this third principal member would be folded downwardly out of the Way just opposite to its illustrated position. v

A short limiting rod or link indicated at I4 is pivotally connected as at I 5 about one protruding end 9 of the supporting member beyond the side member I of the uppermost rack and obviously there could be another such limiting link at the other corner of the rack if desired, though one of such limiting links has proven amply suflicient for ordinary purposes. Attention is directed to the eyelet I8 formed in the lower end of the limiting link I4 and through which the side 5 extends in that it is formed on a somewhat gooseneck crook in the link I4 so that when the two U-shaped members are folded together this goose-neck will accommodate such folding into substantially the same plane, or at least until they abut. When extended as illustrated in the drawing the link I 4 limits the maximum pivotal movement of said members.

From the foregoing it is evident that I have produced a very simple and efficient rack of this type which may be made to occupy a very little space either against the wall or object upon which it is supported, or folded together and put away for subsequentuse, storage, or transportation, and one that will most conveniently function when hung over the upper end of a door, such as illustrated at I9, back of a chair or the like.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A foldable rack of the character described comprising two U-shaped members, pivotally united by the otherwise free ends of one being attached to the corners of the other, a supporting member pivotally attached to the otherwise free ends of one of said U-shaped members, said supporting member having a central hooked portion for hooking engagement over the upper edge of a chair or the like, and a swingable holding arm pivotally attached to one of said members and pivotally and slidably attached to one of the other of said members to predetermine the maximum angular relation of said members.

' 2. A support, for a foldable drying rack of the type described, characterized by having a central hooked portion for overlapping engagement with a stationary object, and alined end members extending laterally from said hooked portion and terminating in eyelets for optional engagement with hooks, nails or the like, said support being rotatable on the axis of said end members, whereby said central hooked portion may be inactively positioned when desired.

ing member and pivotally and slidably united with one of said U-shaped members to limit the maximum pivotal movement of said members.

4. A foldable wire clothes drying rack, comprising a U-shaped member, the tree endsot which are formed into eyelets, a second U-shaped member, the free ends of which are formed into eyelets, the eyelets of the first member being attached to the corners of th second member forming a pivotal connection of said members, a third member having straight alined ends passing through the eyelets of the second member forming a pivotal connection therewith and being formed into eyelets externally of the eyelets of said second member, through which suspending means may extend, said third member having a central hooked portion, whereby said rack may be "optionally suspended from said. central portion by hooking the same over the upper edge of a chair, door or the like, and means to limit the maximum pivotal movement of said l J-shaped members.

5. A foldable wire rack of the class described comprising three U-shaped members having ends, each member being pivotally united at its ends to another and foldable into substantially the same plane, one of said members having eyelets formed in its ends and a central hooked portion, whereby said rack may be optionally suspended either from said eyelets or said hooked central portion, and an arm, pivoted to an end of said one member adjacent an eyelet and pivotally and slidably attached to one of said other members to limit the maximum pivotal movement of two of said members.

6. A foldable wire rack of the class described, comprising a plurality of U-shaped members having ends, each member being pivotally united to another and foldable into substantially the same plane, one of said members having eyelets formed in its ends and a central hooked portion, whereby said rack may be optionally suspended either from said eyelets or said hooked central portion, and an arm pivoted to an end of said one member adjacent an eyelet and pivotally and slidably attached to one of said other members to limit the maximum pivotal movement of two of said members.

'7. A foldable wire rack of the class described comprising a plurality of members having ends, each member being pivotally united to another and foldable into substantially the same plane, one of said members having eyelets formed in its free ends and having a central hooked portion whereby said rack may be optionally suspended either from said eyelets or said central portion, and a slidable arm pivotally united to said hooked member and slidably united to another of said members to predetermine the maximum pivotal movement of said members.

HENRY C. JERNSON. 

